A wafer clamping apparatus, including a plurality of support pins under a wafer, the plurality of pins to support the wafer; and a side clamp at a lateral side of the wafer, the side clamp to directly contact a lateral side of the wafer to press the wafer, the side clamp to press the wafer in a first direction or a second direction, the first direction and the second direction being different directions.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A wafer clamping apparatus, comprising: a plurality of support pins under a wafer, the plurality of support pins to support the wafer; and a side clamp at a lateral side of the wafer, the side clamp to directly contact the lateral side of the wafer to press the wafer, the side clamp to press the wafer in a first direction or a second direction, the first direction and the second direction being different directions, wherein the side clamp includes a contact portion and a projecting portion, and wherein: the contact portion contacts the lateral side of the wafer, and the projection portion does not contact the lateral side of the wafer.
A wafer clamping apparatus includes support pins underneath a wafer to hold it in place, and a side clamp that directly touches the wafer's edge. The side clamp presses the wafer either in one direction, or in a different direction. The clamp has a contact portion that touches the wafer's edge, and a projecting portion that does *not* touch the wafer's edge.
2. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a side clamping elastic body connected with the side clamp, the side clamping elastic body to provide an elastic force to the side clamp.
The wafer clamping apparatus described previously (support pins under a wafer and a side clamp pressing on the edge) also has an elastic element connected to the side clamp. This elastic element provides a force that pushes the side clamp against the wafer.
3. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projecting portion overlaps an upper surface of the wafer.
In the wafer clamping apparatus (support pins under a wafer and a side clamp pressing on the edge), the projecting portion of the side clamp (the part that doesn't touch the wafer edge) extends over the top surface of the wafer.
4. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the projecting portion contacts the contact portion.
In the wafer clamping apparatus where the projecting portion of the side clamp extends over the wafer's top surface, the projecting portion of the side clamp is in contact with the contact portion of the side clamp (the part that touches the wafer's edge).
5. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the side clamp further includes a connecting portion connecting the contact portion and the projecting portion.
In the wafer clamping apparatus where the projecting portion of the side clamp extends over the wafer's top surface, the side clamp also includes a connecting portion linking the contact portion (touching the wafer) and the projecting portion (extending over the wafer).
6. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein: the connecting portion is inclined at a first angle with respect to the contact portion, and the projecting portion is inclined at a second angle with respect to the contact portion, the second angle being different from the first angle.
In the wafer clamping apparatus, a connecting portion links the contact portion to the projecting portion of the side clamp. The connecting portion is angled relative to the contact portion by a first angle, and the projecting portion is angled relative to the contact portion by a second, different angle. Thus, the contact, connecting, and projecting portions are not all aligned.
7. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the first direction is a direction from the side clamp to the wafer, and the second direction is a direction perpendicular to the first direction.
In the wafer clamping apparatus (support pins under a wafer and a side clamp pressing on the edge), the side clamp can press the wafer in two different directions. One direction is directly inward, from the side clamp towards the center of the wafer. The other direction is perpendicular to this, so basically sideways or up/down relative to the direct inward push.
8. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the first direction is a vertical direction from the wafer to one of the support pins, and the second direction is a vertical direction opposite from the first direction.
In the wafer clamping apparatus (support pins under a wafer and a side clamp pressing on the edge), the side clamp presses the wafer in two different directions. One direction is vertically, from the wafer down toward one of the support pins. The other direction is vertically, but in the opposite direction, away from the support pin.
9. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of side clamps.
The wafer clamping apparatus (support pins under a wafer) has more than one side clamp pressing against the wafer's edge, rather than just a single clamp.
10. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , comprising four side clamps, wherein each of the four side clamps is on an axis of a Cartesian coordinate system.
The wafer clamping apparatus uses four side clamps (support pins under a wafer). These four clamps are positioned along the axes of a Cartesian coordinate system (like x and y axes), meaning they are located at right angles to each other around the wafer.
11. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein positions of the plurality of support pins correspond to positions of the side clamps.
The wafer clamping apparatus uses side clamps and support pins. The locations of the support pins underneath the wafer correspond to (are aligned with) the locations of the side clamps pressing on the wafer's edge.
12. A process equipment, comprising: a chamber to accommodate a wafer; a plate under the wafer, the plate having a shape of a plane; a support pin on the plate to support the wafer; a side clamp at a lateral side of the wafer, the side clamp to directly contact the lateral side of the wafer to press the wafer; and a side clamping elastic body connected with the side clamp, the side clamping elastic body to provide an elastic force to the side clamp, wherein the side clamp includes a contact portion and a projecting portion, and wherein: the contact portion contacts the lateral side of the wafer, and the projection portion does not contact the lateral side of the wafer.
Process equipment includes a chamber for a wafer, a flat plate under the wafer, support pins on the plate to hold the wafer, a side clamp that directly contacts the wafer's edge to press the wafer, and an elastic element connected to the side clamp providing a clamping force. The side clamp has a contact portion touching the wafer edge, and a projecting portion that does *not* touch the wafer edge.
13. The process equipment as claimed in claim 12 , wherein: the side clamp presses the wafer in a first direction or a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction are different directions.
The process equipment includes a chamber for a wafer, a flat plate under the wafer, support pins on the plate to hold the wafer, a side clamp that directly contacts the wafer's edge to press the wafer, and an elastic element connected to the side clamp providing a clamping force. The side clamp presses the wafer either in one direction or in a different direction.
14. A wafer clamping apparatus, comprising: a side clamp at a lateral side of a wafer, the side clamp to directly contact the lateral side of the wafer, a side clamping elastic body connected with the side clamp, the side clamp and the side clamping elastic body to absorb movement energy of the wafer, wherein the side clamp includes a contact portion and a projecting portion, and wherein: the contact portion contacts the lateral side of the wafer, and the projection portion does not contact the lateral side of the wafer.
A wafer clamping apparatus includes a side clamp that directly contacts the wafer's edge. An elastic element is connected to this clamp. The side clamp and elastic element together absorb the energy of the wafer's movements. The side clamp has a contact portion touching the wafer edge, and a projecting portion that does *not* touch the wafer edge.
15. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the movement energy of the wafer results from the wafer having received high thermal energy.
In the wafer clamping apparatus where the side clamp and elastic element absorb the wafer's movement energy, the wafer's movement is caused by it getting very hot, for example, during processing.
16. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the movement energy of the wafer is vibration in a direction of the side clamp.
In the wafer clamping apparatus where the side clamp and elastic element absorb the wafer's movement energy (caused by high temperature), the wafer's movement is vibration specifically in the direction that the side clamp is pushing.
17. The wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein absorption of the movement energy of the wafer prevents destruction of the wafer due to its own bending stress.
In the wafer clamping apparatus where the side clamp and elastic element absorb the wafer's movement energy, absorbing this energy prevents the wafer from breaking due to stress caused by the wafer bending.
18. Process equipment, comprising the wafer clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein absorption of the movement energy of the wafer prevents damage of the wafer due to a secondary collision with an internal structure of the process equipment.
Process equipment contains a wafer clamping apparatus where the side clamp and elastic element absorb the wafer's movement energy. Absorbing this energy prevents damage to the wafer caused by it hitting other parts inside the equipment.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 16, 2016
September 19, 2017
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